Characterization of a reverberation chamber based 5G in vitro exposure system: a biological perspective

The potential biological and health impact of the new radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) exposure scenario due to the deployment of 5G technologies has been attracting increasing attention and deserves to be carefully analysed. In this respect, in vitro studies deserve particular attention since they allow to corroborate evidence and provide biological plausibility to other types of studies, given that the quality of the study design, exposure assessment methods and biological assay validity is carefully addressed. Here, we present the results of the characterization of a reverberation chamber-based exposure system for in vitro exposure to 5G signal by using two chambers in sham-configuration. Specifically, we used a reverberation chamber that has been designed, manufactured and characterized by the University of Cassino for in vitro exposures at 26.5 GHz. Experiments were carried out in two different human cell models, neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) and keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells, to assess the eventual impact of the environmental conditions inside the chambers. In particular, sample volume reduction and pH value have been considered as environmental parameters, whereas viability and cell cycle progression were evaluated to test the metabolic status of cell cultures, having samples in a cell culture incubator as reference control. The results indicate that, after 24 h the reverberation chamber environment does not affect sample volume and pH, as well as does not induce cytotoxicity in two different cell types. The lack of effects confirms the suitability of the reverberation chamber-based exposure system for its use for bioelectromagnetic experiments.